“ Manchester was a very important part of my life — my blossoming ! It ’ s only natural to want that kind of experience for others .”
MU | Evy Boman
E velyn “ Evy ” Stouffer Bowman ’ 42 is one of Manchester ’ s oldest living alumni . At 104 years old , she has lived out the Manchester mission and remains actively connected with her alma mater ..
“ I loved every minute of my life at Manchester — it was so enriching ,” Bowman said .
Bowman grew up just a few miles from Lena , Ill ., where she attended high school . As a teenager she was involved in a wide variety of school activities , from typing teams to music and drama to literary clubs . “ I liked everything about school except history and chemistry ,” Bowman said .
Her commercial teacher and principal , Mr . Sprague , was a particular influence on her early years . He entered the school in the district commercial contest each year , and his students performed well — Bowman included . She participated in the shorthand and typing contests , and her teams took home medals for a first-place finish at the district and regional level and second-place finish at the state level . These skills proved to be extremely helpful throughout her life ; she eventually earned part of her tuition at Manchester by serving as secretary to the dean of the school .
Though Bowman was eager to go to college , her parents felt she should do as her sister had done and stay home and work in an office for a year after graduating from high school . “ It was a painful year in many ways , for I was isolated in a rural area and my other friends had gone on to their activities ,” she said .
Looking back on her gap year between high school and college , Bowman has no regrets . “ Had I not taken it , I would never have met my husband , Paul . Life does have a way of working out for the best .”
When Bowman finally started as a student at Manchester , she majored in home economics . She remained artistic , joining the Madrigal and Chapel Choir for all four years of college , as well as several drama productions . Among her many favorite Manchester memories is being named May Queen in 1941 .
During her senior year , a friend asked Bowman to travel to the Lagro Camp for Conscientious Objectors in Lagro , Ind ., where her boyfriend was living . Bowman agreed , not knowing her life was about to be forever changed .
The two were picked up by the director of the camp – Paul Bowman .
“ He hadn ’ t been aware that he was to have a second passenger , but graciously made room for me ,” Bowman said . “ I ended up in the front seat between Grace and Paul and hardly said a word .”
Bowman recalled that the previous year Paul had been a speaker at Manchester , discussing his war relief work in Spain and France immediately following the Spanish Civil War , and she had been impressed by the work he had done .
The evening at the camp was pleasant , but ultimately not too remarkable .
It wasn ’ t until several weeks later that Bowman convinced herself to invite Paul to dinner at the house she and six other young women studying home economics at Manchester lived in . For decades , Paul kept Bowman ’ s letter of invitation safely tucked away , a reminder to both that she made the first move .
“ Manchester was a very important part of my life — my blossoming ! It ’ s only natural to want that kind of experience for others .”
In December of 1941 , soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor , Paul was asked by the Church of the Brethren to organize trainings in a war-torn area between Ecuador and Peru . The goal was to send conscientious objectors there for training in preparation for the rebuilding of Europe after the war ended . With Paul headed for South America in a matter of weeks , the couple made a decision : they would get married and travel there together .
“ All of my professors were rooting for us and helped in many ways ,” Bowman said . “ My home ec professor dismissed class one day , and everyone addressed envelopes for the invitations . . . Another of my professors , Dr . Andrew Cordier , was helping to write the charter for the new United Nations that was being planned , and he later became assistant to the Secretary General of the United Nations . My boss , Dr . Carl Holl , dean of the college , was less supportive of the conscientious objector position , but nonetheless gave us his blessing .”
The next few months involved buying wedding rings , organizing a wedding while in different states , meeting each other ’ s families and breaking the news of their sudden engagement .
In April of 1942 , the couple was married in Bowman ’ s hometown . Her May Queen dress served as her wedding dress .
“ During the ceremony , both sets of parents , sitting on the front row , wept like children ,” Bowman said . “ They were sure they would never see us again !”
After a short honeymoon to Chicago , the Bowmans were off to Ecuador .
Upon arriving , however , they learned that their original task of establishing a training camp for conscientious objectors had become
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